Radstock Town Council may have a new vacancy after its meeting on Monday evening this week. Cllr Jordan Ness, who was elected for the Writhlington ward, is likely to be automatically disqualified from the Town Council after missing six meetings without sending an official apology.

The Labour Councillor also sits on Peasedown St John Parish Council.

B&NES Councillor for Radstock, Chris Dando (Labour), spoke of the significant budget cuts expected in the New Year, with the local authority needing to find £49 million by 2020. Cllr Horstmann (Radstock, Conservative), reported that the local authority is on course to deliver £12m in savings this year.

This comes during the week that the Council has announced a major shake-up in its library services, and councillors questioned what will become of Radstock library and Children’s Centre, two sites that have been under threat before. At one point, Radstock library was due to move into the Radco store, however, there was talk of it perhaps being included in a new community building that the town is hoping for.

Cllr Horstmann also reported on the drugs operation by police that has recently taken place in Bath, informing Town Councillors that drug dealers from Radstock had been identified. Cllr Nick Toogood said that drug dealing in Radstock is ‘rife’, and a ‘major problem for the town’. He called, not for the first time, for a meeting with local police to speak about the issue.

Councillors also reacted angrily to news that Section 106 money that should have been allocated to Writhlington for the development at Knobsbury Lane has been allocated to Midsomer Norton Sports Centre. Radstock’s Town Clerk has asked for a legal definition of the area that should benefit from the money, and said that councillors would need to act now as ‘a matter of urgency’.

Cllr Keith Tyrrell, who has been campaigning for the money to pay for a new car park for Writhlington Village Hall, easing congestion and helping road safety in the area, said: “This is an absolute disgrace and we need to challenge it. There is plenty that needs to be done in Radstock that this money could have gone towards – I am absolutely livid.

“We need to stop this for future developments; why should other town or parish councils benefit – perhaps we should take what they would consider belongs to them! I intend to meet with Andrew Jolliffe (landowner) to explain to him where the developer’s contribution has gone. I intend to see this through and get this money back.”

Westfield B&NES and Parish Councillor, Eleanor Jackson, sat in the public gallery, was allowed to speak with standing orders suspended. She said: “B&NES has known from day one that this money should go to Writhlington Village Hall. We have had the same trouble in Westfield, with money being allocated to Midsomer Norton that should have benefitted us. Perhaps both councils should work together to put this straight.”

There were calls for a judicial review, which would mean that both Radstock Town Council and Westfield Parish Council would need to seek and pay for legal advice to challenge the decision.

It was proposed that the two councils work together on a joint legal challenge and invite B&NES to come before the Town Council’s planning committee to discuss the ongoing issue of the allocation of developer’s contributions, now known as the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL). Since the change from Section 106, the CIL can now be spent more widely, rather than in the immediate area of the development.

The Town Council also voted to have further discussions with B&NES over parking in Radstock, following an increasing number of complaints from residents and businesses about the lack of long-term parking. Suggestions put forward by town councillors included the extension of the current Tom Huyton playpark car park.